Calhoun County AlArchives News.....Memories by S. E. Scarborough (Oxford) October 2, 1966
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Shirley Mellon Dewberry dewberry@cableone.net November 18, 2010, 7:24 pm

The Anniston Star, Anniston, Alabama October 2, 1966
	
				
					Memories			
						
				 By S. E. Scarborough


	Among my souvenirs is a copy of the Oxford News, a weekly published in 
Oxford, dated Thursday, Dec. 6, 1883.  This old paper is in a fine state of 
preservation considering it is 83 years old.

	I was fortunate to acquire this interesting old paper.  There is no 
one living now that was mentioned in its pages of news and advertisements.

	Politics wasn’t as “hot” then as it is now.  Neither was the 
advertising, which is rather different from the present method.

	For instance, a livery stable catering to salesmen – drummers, they 
were called – a blacksmith, a wagon and carriage shop offering repairs and 
vehicles built to order, and a harness shop dealing in saddles and harnesses 
for horses and miles all had advertisements in the paper.

	A lot of stores listed general merchandise.  In one or two, merchants 
issued warnings to delinquent customers to come in and pay their bill or make 
arrangements for an extension.  If they didn’t, legal proceedings would be 
placed against them.

	The paper said an unusual number of wagons of cotton were in town at 
that period.  The Oxford College, with Professor Dodson in charge, was 
mentioned, as was the old Central Hotel.

	Numerous doctors and surgeons were listed.  Many long-forgotten items 
were mentioned, especially boots, listed with shoes.  Most of the merchants 
stressed boots in their advertisements.

	It is fascinating to search through the pages of yester-years.  This 
gives us an insight to the activities of our forefathers.

	When this old paper was published, Anniston was in its infancy.  There 
wasn’t much town then, but it was growing rapidly and has continued to do so 
down through the years until now we have quite a city, something to be proud 
of.

	The suburban population is about to catch up with the city’s.  We have 
lots of good people here and can always use more of the same.

	The fall season is just beginning.  It won’t be long until the country 
roadsides will assume the annual coloring – the foliage, that is.

	Then we will have visits from Jack Frost and the north wind will 
blow.  We shall have snow, and what will the poor robin do then?

	I frequently get request form people who ask if I could locate 
relatives.  Some of the requests run from 50 to 60 years back.  This is rather 
a difficult assignment because there are no records of these people involved, 
due to age and change of address.

	It isn’t often I can answer these requests, but I will if possible.

	Let me digress a bit and return to our sister city, Oxford.  Before 
Anniston existed, there was a road between Oxford and Jacksonville, a long 
winding dirt road without bridges.  Most of the streams had to be forded.  
When the water was high, traffic had to wait until the streams went down 
before they could cross.

	It was a long, hard trip over bumpy roads by ox wagon or mule power, 
and it took most of the day one way, but people weren’t in such a hurry then.

	Both cities produced some mighty fine citizens, and still do.  We are 
proud to name them our valuable neighbors.

	When the Great Scorer comes to write across your name, He writes not 
what you won or lost, but how you played the game.


Additional Comments:
Lila Roberts Mellon's comment:

Mr. Zaner was a blacksmith. His business is where Bob and Elizabeth Lamar's 
house is on Choccolocco Street.  Directly across from the Mellon house at 315 
Choccolocco Street.

Lila Roberts Mellon
Born: November 20, 1887 Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama
Died: March 18, 1982 Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama
Father: Richard Gaines Roberts Jr.
Mother: Eliza Wyatt Hornbuckle Roberts
Spouse: William Foster Mellon

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